Context
On January 27, 2017, President Trump issued an Executive Order, entitled Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States. The Executive Order broadly restricted or suspended entry into the United States by nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen for 90 days. The Order also suspended the Refugee Admissions Program for 120 days. On January 29, 2017, the federal government clarified that the Order would not deny the ability of lawful permanent residents to enter the United States. The Executive Order has been subjected to many legal challenges.
This Page
Through this resource page, the College seeks to provide timely, accurate updates on issues surrounding the Executive Order. We hope this page keeps our community informed of these important events; however, this page does not provide legal advice. We will update the page as quickly as possible but urge the community to consult news and additional sources of information, as the landscape is complex and may shift suddenly.
Advice
The College strongly urges any of our community members who experience difficulty due to the January 27th (or subsequent) Executive Orders to seek immediate professional legal advice from an immigration attorney. Upon request, we will provide a list of organizations who may be able to provide pro bono or discounted legal advice as well as additional information on the impact of this or additional Executive Orders. I-Place is dedicated to provide as much assistance to our students as possible. Please contact Jessica Alampay at I-Place for general questions, concerns, or referral to an immigration attorney. In addition, each College may provide additional, direct legal assistance to those directly affected. Please contact the Dean of Students Office, as appropriate.
Legal Challenges
Following the January 27th Order, individuals, states, and private companies filed lawsuits across the country challenging the Order. Lawfare is a website that is gathering a list of all cases challenging the Order, including documents filed in the cases.
- One of those cases out of the state of Washington resulted in a nationwide, temporary restraining order which prohibits the federal government from enforcing the Order.
- On February 9, 2017 the 9th Circuit denied the federal government's motion for a stay of the temporary restraining order pending appeal. This litigation will continue, so the outcome remains uncertain.
Unanswered Questions
What could happen in the future is difficult to anticipate. However, immigration attorneys have advised the College of the following:
- The Customs and Border Patrol retains the authority they had prior to the Order to deny admission to the United States on a case by case basis.
- Additional draft Executive Orders impacting immigrants and non-immigrants were also circulated by the White House. One was entitled Executive Order on Protecting American Jobs and Workers by Strengthening the Integrity of Foreign Workers Visa Programs and one was entitled Executive Order on Protecting Taxpayer Resources by Ensuring Our Immigration Laws Promote Accountability and Responsibility. Both Orders are attached in the link - please scroll through the entire link to read both Draft Orders. Whether these Orders will be signed, at all or in an edited form, is uncertain. As drafted, they impact the provision of public assistance benefits (limiting entry for immigrants deemed likely to rely on them and possibly deporting immigrants who rely upon them) and also limit work permits for foreign nationals.
- It is possible that additional countries could be added to the list of seven countries already identified in the January 27th Order. The wording of the Order allows for this possibility, and immigration experts have heard rumblings that this might indeed happen.
International Travel
If I am not a U.S. citizen or a Lawful Permanent Resident, is there any advice about international travel?
- As stated above, the College urges such individuals to consult with an immigration attorney prior to any international travel.
- Discretionary travel to or from the identified countries should be avoided, and remain vigilant for news of any additional countries which the government may later include.
- A Travel Advisory issued by NAFSA (an Association of International Educators) may contain helpful information.
Resources
The below resources may provide additional information, although the College does not specifically endorse any specific resource: